Postcards from the National Geographic Orion in the Kimberley

Exploring the Kimberley Region with National Geographic is one of our all-time travel highlights. The beauty, grandeur and sheer inimitability of the Kimberley coupled with the intrepid spirit of National Geographic made this a trip of a lifetime.

Mrs Romance took so many photos on our 12-day voyage we couldn’t fit them all into our earlier post on what we did aboard the National Geographic Orion. We decided we’d share some more images of our time there with you in our Postcards from the Kimberley collection.

The Kimberley Region in northwestern Australia is one of the most isolated places on the planet. Few travellers ever reach this place and even fewer have explored its coastline. We were lucky enough to be on a National Geographic exploration ship sailing along this fantastic coast.

The National Geographic Orion is a magnificent ship with enough space onboard for 102 guests, her crew and a team of expert naturalists, scientists and photographers. It’s a luxury vessel equipped for adventure. She goes on expeditions into the ice fields of the Antarctic, the deep waters of the Pacific or – like now – on the tropical tides of the eastern Indian Ocean.

Mr & Mrs Romance explore the Kimberley (video)

Please click here if you can’t see the video above.

Here are some of our favourite shots from our time on the National Geographic Orion exploring the Kimberley.

Postcards from the Kimberley

Each night we would sail the along the wild northwest Australian coast to the next day’s anchorage. Every morning we would climb aboard our Zodiac tenders to explore the hidden treasures of the Kimberley.

This tiny 3-seater helicopter took us on a quick airborne tour of one of the pearl farms of Broome, the southernmost town of the Kimberley.

The wildlife in the Kimberley is incredible. This osprey is showing off her fishing prowess! We found out from the naturalists that ospreys will turn the fish they catch in their talons so that it faces forward while the flight. I think this fish missed out on the view though!

The rich red of the iron oxide in the rocks throughout the Kimberley is so iconic to the area. The dark line you can see up from the water shows how high the tide comes twice daily. This region is home to the 2nd biggest tides in the world, boasting a huge 9-metre difference in water level!

The Bungle Bungles are the Kimberley’s most famous rock formation. Having said that, this range was only discovered in the late 1970s.

Mrs Romance has a deep love of helicopter rides. So we couldn’t wait for our flight to the beautiful Mitchell Falls.

This region’s history from man’s perspective is also filled with mystery. The rock art of the Gwion Gwion (aka the Bradshaws) are thought to be around 26,000 years old and are completely unique to the region. Still, no one really knows who created them or where this people went.

The Big Crocodile at Wyndham, WA. There were some big crocs in the sea and the rivers in the Kimberley, but thankfully none this big!

The Kimberley is unique in many ways. It was once its own tectonic plate, which collided with the Australian mainland hundreds of millions of years ago. The geology of this region is incredible.

The giant boab trees throughout the Kimberley are incredible. They also remind me of the Wandjina rock art peculiar to the region.

The skies about the Kimberley are one of the most stunning parts of this magical place. From the deepest, richest blues of the day to the glittering blackness at night – and of course the spectacular sunsets. It was like we’d travelled much further than just the other side of the country.

Have you ever visited the Kimberley Region? Which of these is your favourite shot? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mrs Romance. Other images courtesy of National Geographic photographer Susan Seubert and Nat Geo Expedition Leader Adam Cropp.